INEZ – A trial set last Monday in the Martin Circuit Court was not held because the civil action had been settled in a Lexington mediation held last month it has been reported. Terms of the settlement are confidential, according to John Kirk, Phillip Crum’s attorney. “I’m not able to comment on details of settlement out of privacy considerations for Phillip and also for the other parties,” Kirk said.
Crum, an Inez businessman who, with his father, John Crum, operated a Ford dealership, had gone to Martin County Coal’s mine site for the purpose of picking up a truck and was on Martin Coal's property when a large rock rolled from a hillside slope onto the truck in which Crum was a passenger.
Injuries from the accident were severe, causing Crum to need extensive medical and hospital care as well as rehabilitation treatment.
“This was a tragic thing to Phillip, a young father, and a tragic thing to this fine family,” Kirk said. “This case took a long time,” he said, “because there were trips to the appellate courts.
“I want to recognize my co-counsel Bobby Rowe and John C. Kirk, both of whom worked very hard for Phillip,” John Kirk, said.